Triad
by PalomaD
Summary: Immortals and Medjai form an uneasy alliance.


Disclaimer: Highlander and the characters from that mythos, as well the concept of Immortals, are all copyright © 2001 Davis/Panzer Productions. The character of Ardeth Bay is the property of Stephen Sommers and Universal Studios. The situations and all other characters besides Ardeth, Duncan, Amanda, and Methos were created and owned by the author. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: Some of the inspiration for this story came from the Jefferson Airplane song of the same name.

Triad

"Are you certain you buried it here?"

"Just keep digging, Duncan, I know it's right here, sort of." Amanda was at least as interested in watching Duncan's behind as he bent over in the sand as she was in the artifact he was looking for. Even after 300 years she never tired of that view. She thought it was probably his best feature. Except for that other part of him, of which she never tired, either.

"Sort of?!" Duncan stood up, exasperated. All around him, the Sahara extended endlessly. Amanda had assured him they were in the right place. Then again, she had assured him at the last place they had searched, and the place before that. He dropped his shovel onto the sand, where it landed with a clank. Duncan reached down to see what the shovel had hit and came away with something in his hand. It was egg shaped, but as big as a man's fist, and gold in color, with the glint of something within its translucent depths.

Amanda leapt up out of the camp chair where she had been sitting in the shade of their tent. "That's it!" she exclaimed. "I told you it was right here!" She reached to grab it but Duncan raised it up out of her reach.

"Tell me again what this is supposed to do?" he asked.

"Just give it to me and I'll show you!"

Suddenly the two heard the sound of hooves.

"Get in the tent. I will take care of this." Duncan knew that Amanda was not a fighter. She would rather use her wits than her sword. How she had survived so long in the Game he would never understand.

In another moment the rider was at their campsite. He was dressed in black robes, his face veiled. Duncan noticed the scimitar at his side, although he did not feel the frisson that accompanied the presence of another Immortal. However, a man wielding a sword is still a man wielding a sword, and Duncan immediately unsheathed his own katana, taking a ready if relaxed stance.

"I am Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod," he announced.

The rider jumped off his horse, scimitar in hand. "I am Ardeth….."

But before he could finish his sentence, Amanda ran out of the tent.

"Ardeth! I should have realized it was you!"

"You know this man?" Both men said in unison.

Amanda looked at the two warriors, struck by how alike they looked. Both were tall and quite handsome, with long dark hair and similar stern expressions on their faces. "Boys, boys, put your toys away. Duncan, this is Ardeth Bay, Chieftain of the Twelve Tribes of the Medjai. Ardeth, I think Duncan has already introduced himself to you."

The two men reluctantly sheathed their weapons, all the while casting suspicious glances at each other.

"And you know this man how?" Duncan was the first to speak.

"Cairo. I met him in Cairo. I was working in a, a nightclub. As a, a singer."

Duncan knew Amanda could not sing. "What did he catch you stealing?"

"Just a small item. A trinket, really."

Duncan turned to the Medjai.

"It was a gold statue of Isis," Ardeth supplied.

"Of course it was." Duncan looked affectionately at Amanda.

Amanda spread her hands out. "Hey, it's what I do." She explained.

Duncan reached into his pocket and withdrew the object he had recently unearthed.

"I suppose she stole this too," he said, holding it out to Ardeth.

"Hey that's mine!" Amanda tried unsuccessfully to grab it from Duncan's hand.

"What is it?" the Highlander asked as Ardeth dropped it into one of the pockets of his robe.

"It's the Golden Eye of Ra," the Medjai replied. "We suspected Miss Montrose had taken it and hidden it somewhere in the desert. When we received word that she was here, we knew the Eye was close by. I must now return it to its rightful place." With that he turned to mount his horse.

"Wait a minute!" Amanda exclaimed. "Duncan, did you get a good look at that thing? It's amber on the outside but inside, there's a big diamond!"

"Amanda," said Ardeth gently, "You know it does not belong to you."

"A big diamond!" she repeated. Then more petulantly, she added "I don't know why you can't just let me keep it. There's plenty of other treasures for you to guard."

Duncan put his arm around Amanda's shoulders. "Now, Amanda, let him take that little bauble and I'm sure you'll find something else to, um, steal."

"A big diamond!" Amanda was almost in tears as Ardeth rode away.

Not far away a German soldier put down his binoculars. He had been watching, waiting for the man and woman to find the treasure, only to now have it in the hands of that troublesome group of desert dwellers that called themselves Medjai. Dropping his binoculars in disgust in the sand, he went back to camp to inform his commander of this new development.

As a Medjai, Ardeth Bay was naturally aware of everything that went on around him in the desert. So he was aware of the Germans camped not too far away, and he was aware that they were digging for something, but what he was not aware of was the fact that the Commandant was an Immortal like Duncan and Amanda. Not quite like Duncan and Amanda, as this man was perfectly happy to use any means necessary to achieve his objectives, and in this case, his objective was to obtain the Golden Eye of Ra for his Fuehrer. His leader was fascinated with the occult and was amassing a collection of objects reputed to bestow power upon their owner. The Eye was one of these objects.

So when the German soldiers came swarming over the dune, Ardeth thought he was ready for them. He shot two of them and sliced two of them almost in half with his scimitar. Another swipe with his scimitar and the German commander was lying in the sand, apparently dead. But as Ardeth turned to leave, he heard a noise behind him. The German had seemingly been raised from the dead. Before Ardeth could react, he was struck on the head with the butt of the German's rifle and he fell unconscious to the sand. The German quickly rifled through the pockets of the Medjai's robe and removed what he was looking for. He put it in his pouch and, without a backward glance for his fallen soldiers, mounted his horse and rode off towards Cairo.

Duncan and Amanda had heard the gunshots.

"What do you think that was?" asked Duncan.

"Probably our friend the Chieftain celebrating," griped Amanda.

Then they both felt IT. That indescribable something that told them another Immortal was near. With their hands on their swords, they watched as a horseman passed by their camp, heading toward Cairo. The rider turned to look at them as he passed but did not slow down. Instead, he spurred his horse to go even faster.

"Ardeth!" Amanda ran toward her own horse, mounted, and started out towards the direction of the gunshots.

Duncan was stunned. He could not understand how Amanda, although by no means a coward, would go running off to come to the aid of what Duncan assumed was a casual acquaintance. On the other hand, perhaps the Medjai was more than that. Duncan mounted his own horse and followed quickly after.

The Germans' camp was a mess. Four dead bodies littered the sand. Ardeth was just coming to as Duncan and Amanda arrived. He stood shakily, rubbing what was sure to be a large lump on his head. Amanda threw herself into his arms, almost knocking him down again. "Oh I'm so glad you're OK! We heard the shots and I thought….I thought…"

Ardeth stroked her hair. "I was the one doing most of the shooting," he said as he retrieved his rifle and scimitar from the sand. He replaced the rifle in his belt and wiped the blood off his scimitar before replacing it in its sheath. "I thought I had gotten them all. The commander was on the ground, dead, disemboweled like those two. I had turned to search their tent when he struck me from behind."

"He's an Immortal," Amanda murmured into Ardeth's chest, almost too softly to be heard. "We felt him."

"Wait a minute!" Duncan interrupted. "Does he know about us?" He indicated the Medjai. "Do you just tell everyone you meet?"

Ardeth disengaged himself from Amanda's arms and put his hand out to stop the Highlander's tirade. "The Medjai have known about the Game for generations. Ever since one of your kind wandered into a Medjai camp during the time of Cleopatra. He went by the name…"

"Methos," Duncan finished, grimacing. "He's shown up almost everywhere at one time or another during the past 5000 years."

"The Medjai were the protectors of Pharaohs, including Cleopatra," Ardeth continued. "So we were obviously interested in anyone she befriended. When we discovered he had certain, shall we say, talents, we were naturally even more interested. A man who could not die would be a great asset to the Pharaoh's personal guard. He stayed with us for a brief period but disappeared before we could enlist him. Before he left, he told us of the Immortals and the Game."

Duncan still had some things bothering him. "Alright, now tell me how you know Amanda and what that thing is that everyone is willing to kill to get their hands on."

Amanda took a deep breath. "You know that nightclub I said I was working at in Cairo? Well it wasn't exactly a nightclub. It was…"

"Yes, I know," Duncan sighed. "It was a brothel. You know you can't sing."

"Well I wasn't doing much "brotheling" either," replied Amanda defensively. "Most of the men, I would spike their drink, take them to my room, and rob them while they were passed out. When they woke up I would tell them what wonderful lovers they were and they would leave happy. Poorer, but happy. Except for this one." She looked at Ardeth and her face slightly reddened. "I know Muslims aren't supposed to drink alcohol but he **really** doesn't drink alcohol. So I had to….."

This time it was Duncan who raised his hand to stop Amanda's narrative. He did not want to hear the details of his companion and oftentimes lover's escapades. Both Duncan and Amanda had had, during the time they had known each other, a number of romantic liaisons. But Duncan always felt a bit possessive of Amanda and more than a bit jealous when he came across one of her paramours. Especially one who Amanda was still obviously interested in.

So Duncan changed the subject, much to the relief of Amanda. "What is the significance of that object everyone is so interested in?"

Ardeth also seemed relieved to be discussing something other than his amorous adventures. "Do you know anything about Akhenaten? He was a Pharaoh who had venerated Aten

the Egyptian god of the sun. He even changed his name from Amenhotep to Akhenaten. He moved the capital of Egypt to a place called Amarna, whose location has only recently has been discovered. As Pharaoh, he decreed that the people should not worship the gods they were accustomed to, Osiris, Isis, Horus, and the rest, but should only worship Aten, the sun. Ra, or Aten as he was called by this Pharaoh, bestowed, a blessing, one of his own tears, in the form of that piece of amber Amanda "got" from….."

"He said his name was John, and he had a glass eye," Amanda supplied.

Ardeth silenced her with a look, then continued. "You both have probably noticed that there seems to be something inside." Amanda started to say something but another look from the Medjai made her stop. "It is said there is a diamond inside but no one has ever been able to open the object to find out."

"That's all well and good," replied Duncan. "But why are the Germans after it. It seems like a lot of trouble just to get a diamond, especially one that no one can get to."

"It is not just a diamond, nor is it just a piece of amber. It is believed to be a stone with the power to bring the dead back to life."

"Does it work?" asked the Highlander.

"The one time we know of that it was used, it did not work. The then current Pharaoh, Akhenaten's son, had been seriously injured in a chariot accident. The stone was brought to his bedside but by that time the cult of Aten had fallen and the capital had been moved back to Thebes. It is said that neither his priests nor his healers had the knowledge required to use the stone to heal their young king, or perhaps it was that they had been forsaken by Aten. But in any event, the boy king died. The stone was brought back to Amarna and buried there where it was forgotten by history until it was unearthed during the rediscovery of the city."

"If you examine it closely, there is a slight indentation at one end. According to scrolls the Medjai have acquired over the years, it is said to fit on a staff. Once it is assembled, the staff with the stone on top acts as a conduit of the sun god's power. There is one problem, however. If the wrong staff is used, the power of the sun acts as a destructive force, killing the person wielding it. That is what happened to the all those who attempted to use it."

"When Howard Carter discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen, he found over 130 walking sticks. The Medjai believe that one of these could be the staff that fits together with the Eye."

"Then why haven't you just put them together and, voila!?" asked Amanda.

"Using the wrong staff could lead to deadly consequences. Now that the Germans have the Eye, it seems wise to let them risk their lives to solve this puzzle. After all, there were over 130 staffs in King Tut's tomb and we are not even sure if one of them is the correct one."

_"Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius." _said Amanda_._ The two men looked at her uncomprehendingly. "It means, basically, kill them all and let God sort them out." She smiled ruefully. "I spent some time in a convent, before I realized shaving my head was not the fashion statement I wanted to make." Currently, Amanda's hair was very short and silver in color, what she jokingly called her "Joan of Arc" look.

"The walking sticks are currently at the British Museum in Cairo. I must return to Cairo to inform our contact at the museum that the Germans will probably try to steal them. And to allow it," explained Ardeth. "We anticipate that once they have them, the Germans will go to Amarna and attempt to assemble the staff."

"Why Amarna?" interrupted Duncan.

"Historically, that would be where the power of Aten would be the strongest, so there would be a greater chance of success. What the Germans do not know is that the Medjai will be monitoring their activities." At that, the Ardethi went to his horse and prepared to mount.

"Wait!" cried Amanda. "We're headed for Cairo, too. Maybe we'll see you there."

Ardeth gave her an appraising look. "That would be acceptable," he said.

Amanda's heart gave a little flutter as she watched the black robed figure ride off. Then she turned and looked at Duncan, who returned her gaze with a scowl. "What?" she said innocently. "Come on, we have to strike the tent. Cairo's waiting!"

Cairo

Duncan and Amanda had secured lodging at Fort Brydon. Both of them had British citizenship papers, among others, and availed themselves of the relative luxury of the fort's accomodations.

Ardeth made his way to the Medjai holding house not far from the fort, where he kept a private room as befitting the Chieftain of the Twelve Tribes. After bathing and putting on clean clothes, he fell asleep until the next day, when he awoke with only the slightest headache from his prior day's mishap.

Duncan and Amanda had been staying at the fort for a few days and Amanda was beginning to get restless. Morning was the best time to be out and about in Egypt, before the sun reached its zenith, and one day Amanda finally persuaded Duncan to visit the souk with her. She actually purchased a few items, although she stole more than she paid for. Eventually, they found themselves at the Medjai barracks, thanks to Amanda's sly maneuvering. Even while spending the previous nights in the Highlander's arms, she could not stop thinking about Ardeth.

As they approached the holding house, they could hear the sounds of swordplay. There was a ring outside of the barracks and two of the Medjai were sparring with their scimitars. They had both taken off their robes and their tattooed bodies glistened with sweat. Duncan and Amanda watched appreciatively. Duncan was an excellent swordsman. Amanda preferred not to fight but she had certainly taken some heads during her life.

When Ardeth saw the two Immortals approach, he went over to greet them. "Would you care to join me?" he asked Duncan, indicating the ring, where the two other warriors were just finishing their bout.

Duncan did not need to be asked twice. His dragon headed katana was like an extension of his being and he enjoyed using it, even if there was no Quickening involved.

Ardeth, on the other hand, had a scimitar, but not an ordinary one. The weaponsmith had alloyed gold with the steel, making it lighter and more flexible than the traditional ones. Additionally, its unique color indicated to all who saw it that the person wielding it was the leader of his tribe.

Both men stripped down to their trousers and boots, much to Amanda's delight. They turned and bowed slightly to her, then to each other. This was not going to be a fight to the death. In fact, the man who had so little control of his weapon that injured his opponent would in fact lose face with his comrades.

They were evenly matched, both in looks and in ability. Both men were a bit over 6 feet tall, dark, with chiseled features and chocolate brown eyes. Duncan's shoulder length black hair was caught up in a pony tail while Ardeth's hair hung loose. Both were similarly muscled, especially their chests and biceps, which spoke of the long hours spent in weapons training. The Highlander was a bit thicker in the body, but not by much. Both had long, well muscled legs, and, as Amanda was quick to tell herself, very attractive backsides.

One thing that made the two men look different was the Medjai's tattoos. The ones on his cheeks and forehead and his hands would be readily apparent in the everyday world. However, he also had tattoos on his shoulder blades, over his heart, and one around his navel that resembled the sun, and which disappeared into his trousers. This last one absolutely captivated Amanda and it took all her will power to drag her eyes away from it. She was glad Duncan had not noticed as she was certain if he had the bout would have escalated to something beyond sparring.

Sword clanged against scimitar, then scimitar against sword, as the two men danced each other back and forth across the ring. Duncan held the katana almost languidly in his right hand, while the Medjai swapped his scimitar back and forth between his right and left hand, seemingly equally dexterous with both hands. Before too long they were both glowing with perspiration, a sight which Amanda enjoyed quite well. She found that she was hot, too, but for a different reason. The sight two half-naked men in front of her had an effect on her stronger than the scorching Egyptian sun.

The men went on for quite a while, neither giving the other much quarter, but neither injuring the other beyond a few nicks. Finally, as if on cue, both dropped their weapons.

"You would have made a good Immortal," conceded Duncan.

"And you, a proper Medjai," replied his opponent.

After they were dressed, Ardeth showed his two visitors around the encampment, pointing out where the Medjai stayed while they were in the city, the training area, and the stables. Ardeth's horse trotted over to see his master. Ardeth took a treat from his robe and fed it to him. "This is Jasim," he said. "I have had him since he was foaled. His great grandsire was my first horse. His great granddam was an Akhal-Teke that my father acquired in Turkey." The Medjai were famous for their horsemanship and it was not unusual for one to travel great distance to acquire a horse to improve the herd.

Amanda looked skeptically at the large, almost white stallion who was nuzzling the Medjai's robes like a puppy in search of another treat. "He's quite big," she said.

"The Medjai are known for their large, horses," replied the Medjai.

Amanda gave him a look that said she knew they were not talking about horses as she put her hand out to pat the stallion's nose. The horse immediately flattened his ears and whickered warningly. Amanda quickly withdrew her hand, ostentatiously counting her fingers. "Well I guess you don't have to worry about someone stealing him."

"I am the only one he allows to ride him. He tends to be skittish and needs a firm hand on the reins."

"Which you gladly provide," replied Amanda. She felt herself blushing, picturing other places that firm hand could be.

Duncan had gone off to explore the Medjai compound during this conversation. He was not that interested in horses, although he was a fine rider. He actually preferred the green MG he had left back in England, which he had taught Amanda to drive. He eventually came upon an open cooking area where food was being prepared. Even though he was fluent in Arabic, Duncan had a hard time understanding the conversation around him. The Medjai, when among themselves, spoke a language that was partly Arabic and partly Egyptian, with a bit of Hebrew thrown in for good measure. However, when the warriors saw him approach, they immediately switched to English and invited Duncan to join them for their afternoon meal.

Duncan and Amanda joined the Medjai warriors in a communal meal of ground lamb, vegetables, and pita bread. Their hosts were friendly but not prone to idle chatter. Amanda seemed to feel it was her job to keep the conversation going. Duncan, for the most part, kept his own council, but did not fail to notice the looks passing between his traveling companion and the Medjai Chieftain. When the day had cooled a bit the two Immortals took their leave and returned to their rooms.

Amanda stood on the balcony of their suite, gazing out at the purple dusk. She could see the pyramids from her window, glowing golden in the setting sun. Suddenly she turned to Duncan, who was lying on the bed reading an article in the Cairo newspaper about a break-in at the British Museum. "I forgot something when we were visiting the Medjai camp today," she informed him. "I think I'm going to go back and get it."

"I'll go with you," Duncan offered, starting to get up.

"No, no. You're all comfortable with your shoes off and your paper." Somehow Amanda had managed to bathe and change her clothes without Duncan noticing. "Why don't you go down to the bar later and see if there's any trouble you can get into." Before Duncan could respond Amanda literally ran out of the room.

Duncan sighed to himself. After hundreds of years together, he knew he should accept Amanda the way she was. But her romantic escapades still bothered him, and the fact he knew who she was going to be with bothered him even more. Still, that was Amanda's way. He resigned himself to an evening with probably only a bottle of Scotch whiskey for company.

Amanda was normally very outgoing with men, both Immortal and mortal alike, but as she approached the Medjai holding house she began to wonder if she was not being too bold. True, she and the Chieftain had been intimate in the past, but that was five years previously and under quite different circumstances. Her trepidation grew as she opened the door and saw a number of men relaxing and talking quietly. Some were sharpening their weapons or performing other mundane jobs common to all soldiers. She had already been observed entering the compound by unseen sentries, so her arrival was not a surprise.

As one, the men turned to look at her. "Is Chieftain Bay here?" she managed to get out, suddenly feeling uncharacteristically shy.

Then the door to his private apartment opened, and Ardeth Bay stood before her. He had also bathed and put on clean robes, and Amanda almost licked her lips in appreciation and anticipation.

"Good evening, Miss Montrose," he said in that dark velvet voice that caused some part of Amanda to vibrate like a violin string. "What a pleasant surprise."

Amanda inclined her head slightly. "Chieftain Bay," she replied in the same formal manner. "I, er, have something I would like to discuss with you. In private."

"Of course." The Medjai waved her into his quarters. As he closed the door he looked at his men, a sly smile gracing his features.

The Medjai were, as a group, tall, dark, handsome, and mysterious, and their Chieftain was especially gifted with these qualities. There were many women in Cairo who had succumbed to the charms of these enigmatic warriors, and Ardeth had had more than his share of success in that regard. His men, assuming that not much "discussion" would be taking place in their leader's rooms, returned to their tasks with only a bit of chuckling and whispered innuendo.

Ardeth shut the door and turned to Amanda, smiling a knowing smile, warm and dark like hot fudge over vanilla ice cream. Arabs tend to stand closer to people than Europeans, and he was standing very close to her. "How may I serve you," he asked in a voice even lower than normal.

Amanda knew that he knew what she was there for, but she wanted to keep up the charade for a moment longer. However, when she opened her mouth to speak, all that came out was "Ahh, ahh."

Ardeth's smile grew wider and he put his hands on Amanda's shoulders. "Did you come to rob me again, _kalila_? Perhaps I should search you just to make sure?" With that, he untied the cape she was wearing, allowing it to fall to the ground. There was the muffled sound of Amanda's rapier, which was secreted in the cloak, hitting the floor, but Amanda didn't hear it. All she could hear was her own heartbeat and a buzzing in her head that made her feel lightheaded.

Ardeth quickly unbuttoned Amanda's white silk blouse and dropped it on the floor along with the cap. The chemise she still wore was almost transparent, showing her nipples, which were already hard and aching to be touched. "I believe a more thorough search is in order," he said, enjoying the look on Amanda's face. He deftly unbuttoned and unzipped the long tan skirt she was wearing and let it pool to the ground around her ankles.

"Allah!" Ardeth exclaimed, when he saw what Amanda was wearing under her skirt. Or rather, what she was not wearing. She was wearing a lacy garter belt and stockings but nothing more. Even more astonishing to Ardeth was the fact that her mound was totally bare. She had obviously very carefully shaved it before her visit.

Almost of its own accord the Medjai's hand reached out and touched Amanda between her legs. He could feel the heat emanating from her and his own body responded immediately. When Amanda bent over to remove her garters and stockings, he reached for her hand. "No," he rasped. "Leave them on."

With swift movements Ardeth divested himself of his robe and drew his throbbing manhood out of his drawstring pants. Taking Amanda by the waist, he lifted her up as if she were a doll and impaled her on his erection. As he moved his hands to her legs, the feel of the silk stockings proved too much for his control, and he quickly ejaculated inside her.

"The next time will be for you." he promised, whispering in her ear.

Amanda had her arms around Ardeth's neck like a drowning victim hoping to be saved. Ardeth walked the two of them over to his bed, still inside her, and laid her gently down, reluctantly disengaging himself. He kept his eyes on her as he removed his clothes. "Are you a houri come to tease me with a taste of paradise?" he asked.

Amanda had finally caught her breath. "I'll be anything you want me to be," she replied with a sultry smile.

Suddenly Ardeth's expression grew dark.

"What?" said Amanda.

"The Highlander. Does he know you are here?" Ardeth glanced at the door as if half expecting MacLeod to come bursting in.

"Mac and I have an understanding," replied Amanda. "We've know each other a long time, in the biblical sense. But he allows me my adventures, and me his. You know nothing can come of this. I'm Immortal. I will never age. But you will, and eventually you'd hate me for my youth. Besides, you need to marry and have lots of future Medjais, and that's something I can't give you." She paused and gave him a small smile. "Maybe I'll come back in 30 years when you are dandling grandbabies on your knee and become your fourth wife."

Ardeth felt his ardor cooling, but then he looked down at Amanda. Perhaps she was indeed a houri.

"Will you tell me about your tattoos?" asked Amanda, trying to lighten the mood. She knelt up on the bed and gently touched Ardeth's face. "I know what these mean," she said, moving her fingers across his forehead and cheeks. "And these on your shoulders, and your hands, and your chest. But what about this one?" She licked her finger and circled his navel with it.

This time it was Ardeth who had a hard time speaking. "It is the symbol for Aten," he managed to say. "It signifies virility."

"Oh look, it disappears down here," Amanda said as her hand touched the nest of hair between the Medjai's legs. "I wonder how far down it goes." She pushed Ardeth's pants down.

Ardeth felt himself growing hard again. Amanda noticed and gave him a small smile.

"I think I need to examine this more closely," she purred, putting her face right up to his groin. Ardeth reached down and took hold of her head. She looked up at him and then quickly touched her tongue to the end of his growing erection. "Much more closely," she murmured, returning to her tender ministrations until the Medjai felt he would explode if she continued. Instead, he gently removed himself from her mouth and lay her back on the bed.

This time Ardeth took his time. He removed his boots, finished removing his pants, and joined Amanda on the bed easily finding his way between her legs. He moved slowly and deliberately inside her, feeling the heat of her, repeatedly bringing her to the edge of climax and then withdrawing. He teased her erect nipples with his mouth and fingers until they felt like small round pebbles under his touch. All the while he spoke softly to her, in English and in Arabic, telling her how he would pleasure her.

Amanda understood quite a bit of Arabic, dating back to her time in a seraglio in Constantinople during the 18th century. When she gave an involuntary gasp at one of the Medjai's suggestions, he looked at her with a sensuous smile. Then, without another word, he moved down until his mouth was at the juncture of her legs. He explored her bare folds with his fingers and his tongue, marveling at how smooth and wet she was. Then he took one of her nether lips between his teeth and bit down very gently.

The effect was immediate. Amanda nearly levitated off the bed. Ardeth looked up, concerned that he had hurt her, but saw an expression of pure pleasure on her face. He reached up and put his hands on her hips. "You will not move," he ordered roughly. Then he bit her again, this time on her swollen nub. Amanda tried to bring her hips up, to increase the contact with Ardeth's mouth, but he held her fast.

Amanda felt as if she were falling. Her only tether to reality was the feel of the Medjai's mouth on her most delicate spot. The way his goatee tickled her, the sensation of his tongue darting inside her, and the most excruciating feeling of his teeth as they lightly fastened on her sensitive skin, were all that she knew.

Ardeth knew that Amanda's climax was imminent, and briefly thought of replacing his tongue what some other part of his body. But he knew there would be time for that later.

Amanda had been moaning unintelligibly but she finally managed to speak. "Do it," she begged. "Do it do it do it."

What _it_ was, she did not specify. So Ardeth continued to nuzzle her, nipping at her tender places, all the while preventing her from moving. Amanda continued moaning, shaking her head from side to side, until suddenly she stiffened and a loud cry escaped from her lips.

Ardeth released her hips, quickly moving up on her, and attempted to enter her. But her muscles were still spasming from her orgasm, making it impossible for him to penetrate her. "Come back to me," he whispered in her ear, stoking her cheek. Finally Amanda's eyes focused again and, after taking a deep breath, she smiled at Ardeth.

"Come to me," she said simply. And he did.

Some time later Amanda said, "What must your men think, hearing me scream like that?"

Ardeth chuckled, his deep throaty laugh making Amanda feel warm in places that were still tingling. "Perhaps I should invite them in and let them have their turn with you."

Amanda did a double take, then realized he was just kidding. "As long as you stay and watch," she replied in kind. Before Ardeth could reply, Amanda rose from the bed and started to get dressed. "I should be getting back to Fort Brydon. Duncan will wonder….." she trailed off, seeing the hurt in the Medjai's eyes.

Then, as if a curtain had fallen in front of his face, Ardeth again became Ardeth Bay, Chieftain of the Twelve Tribes of the Medjai. "I will have one of my men escort you back. The Cairo streets are no place for a lady alone at this time of night."

Amanda looked at Ardeth and started to say something, but the stony expression on the Medjai's face stopped her. Instead, she turned and continued dressing.

As she retrieved her cape from the floor, she pulled her rapier half way out. "I don't think I'll have much trouble," she said.

"I will have someone accompany you," Ardeth repeated stonily. This was the Medjai commander no one dared to disobey and not the man whose bed Amanda had recently shared. He rose from the bed and reached for his pants. Amanda felt almost embarrassed upon seeing his nakedness and pretended she was having trouble with the buttons of her blouse. Once he was dressed, Ardeth went out into the barracks and ordered one of his men to walk Amanda back to her lodgings.

"Mercurial," Amanda mumbled to herself, as they walked the dark streets. Soft night noises, rustles, and footsteps faded into nothingness at the approach of the woman and her dark robed companion.

"What, my lady?" the Medjai asked.

Amanda did not realize she had spoken out loud. "Mercurial, " she repeated. "Capricious. Is he always like that?"

The Medjai soldier thought a moment. "My Chieftain has many responsibilities and duties that weigh upon him. It's so seldom he takes any amusement, and that time is all too short."

"Amusement? Is that all I was?" With that, she stomped off, leaving the Medjai to catch up with her.

By the time Amanda reached the fort, her temper had cooled. She let herself into the suite she shared with Duncan and was surprised to see him sitting, a half empty bottle of Scotch whiskey in his hand. He looked up at her.

"Ye've been whoring," he said.

Duncan normally kept his Scottish accent under control except when he was drunk or angry. From the way he looked at her, Amanda decided he was both.

"I have no excuse," she replied softly. She was both mentally and physically worn out from her encounter with the Medjai chieftain.

Duncan dropped the bottle, stood up a bit unsteadily, and grabbed her by the shoulders. "I ken smell him on ye," he said, drawing her close to him.

Amanda was not sure what the Highlander would do next and was surprised when he brought his lips down to hers in a crushing kiss. She immediately found herself responding and leaned into his arms.

Suddenly Duncan picked her up and carried her to their bed. He unceremoniously tossed her down and started removing her clothes. "Ye wore these with him," he growled, throwing them to the floor.

Soon Amanda was naked. Her stockings and garter belt had joined the rest of her clothes in a pile. Duncan took a sharp breath when he saw her bare mound.

Amanda looked up at the Highlander as he removed his belt, which he held in his hand for a moment as if considering something. "Duncan, I…." she began. Then she noticed that his pants were tented out, courtesy of an enormous erection.

The Highlander followed Amanda's gaze. "Am I bigger than him?" He demanded.

Actually he wasn't but at this point Amanda decided that discretion was the better part of valor.

Duncan finished undressing and moved onto the bed.

"Duncan, I….." Amanda began again, only to be silenced by Duncan's lips on hers. He started touching and kissing her all over her body, as if to obliterate any evidence of the other man, occasionally demanding "Did he kiss ye here? Did he touch ye there?" Amanda kept silent other than an occasional moan when his lips touched a particularly sensitive spot, not knowing what to reply. When he finally worked his way down to the place between her thighs, Amanda tried again.

"Duncan, wait….." Amanda tried to keep her legs closed, to no avail. The Highlander was much stronger than she was and easily pried them apart. Duncan could feel the stickiness that told him the Medjai had definitely been there, and his vision clouded with a combination of anger, jealousy and desire. He quickly rolled Amanda over, ordering her to get on her hands and knees. Then he took her from behind, covering her as a stallion would, reclaiming her as his.

Even Immortals get hangovers, and the next morning Duncan had one of Immortal proportions. "I'm going downstairs to get some coffee," he said to Amanda. "Maybe some orange juice. Do they even have orange juice in Cairo?"

Amanda was glad that things seemed normal again, but she felt she had to say something about the night before. "Duncan, I'm sorry about last night, and I promise….."

The Highlander cut her off. "You know you would do the same thing again," he said. "It's one of the things that endears you to me. But next time, could you try not to be so, what's the word, flagrant?" He smiled at Amanda and she knew he had forgiven her.

"Scout's honor," she replied.

Duncan laughed. "Didn't you get expelled from the Girl Guides?"

With that he left the room, giving her another indulgent smile as he closed the door behind him.

A short while after Duncan left, there was a knock on the door. Amanda, thinking the Highlander had forgotten his key, got out of bed with only a sheet wrapped around her and opened the door. Two men grabbed her and one of them held a rag soaked in chloroform to her face. Amanda was quickly unconscious. The men threw her down on the rug which was in the middle of the room and rolled her up in it. Then, hoisting the rug with Amanda inside over their shoulders, they made their way downstairs and out of Fort Brydon.

When Duncan returned, the first thing he noticed was the bare floor. He could have sworn there had been a rug there. He went into the bedroom and found it empty. He opened the bathroom door but that room was also empty. Just as he was beginning to think Amanda had gone off on another one of her adventures, he noticed her cape lying on the floor with the handle of her rapier protruding from it. He knew Amanda would never leave of her own accord without taking her sword with her. He spun around and ran back into the front room. It all became clear to him as he recalled the two men he had seen walking down the stairs as he was going up. They were carrying a rolled up rug between them, a rug that looked suspiciously like the one Duncan was sure had been on the floor earlier. Realizing that Amanda was probably rolled up in that very same rug, Duncan ran downstairs to search for the men but they were gone. He searched through the streets of Cairo but soon gave up when he decided that whoever took Amanda probably knew the city, including its hiding places, better than he did. But there was one person he knew that might be able to help him, and that was Ardeth Bay.

When Duncan entered the Medjai compound he immediately went to the barracks. The same warriors were sharpening the same swords, oiling the same saddles, and doing whatever other mysterious things Medjai did in their spare time. They looked up as Duncan entered the barracks. Of course they all knew that Amanda had spent time with their chieftain the previous night, and their first thought was that the Highlander had come looking for a fight.

"Where is he?" Duncan demanded. The Medjai all stood, creating a barrier between the Highlander and their leader's quarters.

Duncan realized he needed to explain what was going on, and without delay, if he had any hope of rescuing Amanda. "Amanda has been kidnapped!" he exclaimed. "Two men rolled her up in a rug and took her away, and I need your help!"

Ardeth had been listening to this exchange from the other side of his door. When he heard Amanda was in trouble, he quickly entered the barracks and motioned for his men to stand down. "Who would be after Amanda?" he asked.

"Well let's see: other Immortals, people she robbed, jilted lovers," at this he glanced pointedly at the Medjai Chieftain. "Any combination of the above." Duncan paused. "Germans!"

"German Immortals?"

"Very likely. When I passed the two men on the stairs, the ones with the rug, even though they were dressed as Egyptians they were speaking German. I didn't really pay much attention to what they were saying but I did catch one word, Amarna!"

Duncan looked around. "I need to go to Amarna. Do you have a map? And maybe a horse I could borrow that's faster than that old nag I have been riding?"

"Amarna is almost 200 miles from here," replied Ardeth. The desert between here and there is not hospitable to Medjai, and would certainly prove deadly to other men. Even if you are Immortal, you would have a better chance rescuing Amanda if I, and some of my men, went with you."

Duncan started to protest. He wanted to rescue Amanda but just about the last thing he wanted was to have her and the Medjai chieftain anywhere near each other. Ardeth cut him off.

"I understand that Amanda and I hurt you and that was never my intention. Let me help you now."

Duncan realized that the Medjai was right. His best chance to save Amanda was to go to Amarna ready to do battle. And who better to have on his side than a group of Medjai. So he resigned himself to accepting assistance from the very man whose throat he would have happily slit the night before.

Amarna

Amanda regained consciousness still rolled up in the rug. She did not know how long she had been unconscious. She could tell she was in the back of a moving vehicle, but she couldn't tell where she was going. She was hot and thirsty, and being bounced around inside a rug did not help her temper. All at once the engine stopped and she was taken and roughly dumped on the ground, still wrapped up. Almost immediately, she felt hands grab the rug and she was abruptly unrolled. She instinctively reached for her weapon, then realized that not only did she not have her rapier with her, she was completely naked. The two men who had abducted her grabbed her by the arms. She struggled futilely, as the men ran their hands over her body. Amanda could imagine from the expressions on their faces what they had in mind for her. She looked wildly around and saw she was in the ruins of some ancient city, dotted here and there with military-like tents and vehicles. All around her the desert stretched into infinity.

Then she felt the cramp in her stomach that indicated another Immortal was nearby, and her attention was drawn to a nearby tent. The flap opened and the German officer she had encountered what seemed ages ago, in another part of the desert, emerged.

"Halt!" he snapped, and the men holding Amanda stopped what they were doing and but still kept hold of her arms, preventing her from running away.

The Immortal walked over to her and raked his eyes over her body. He took her chin in one hand and examined her face. "Amanda Darieux. Or are you going by the name of Rosemont now? I should take your pretty head right here," he said. "But I do not think your Quickening would be worth the trouble. Besides I have a more important use for you, and after that…." With an evil smile, he stepped back and barked some orders to his men in German. One of them retrieved a bundle of clothes from one of the tents and threw it at Amanda's feet.

"Put that on," the commander ordered. When Amanda did not immediately comply, the German added, "Or shall I have my men assist you?" Amanda could only imagine what that assistance would entail, so she picked up the clothes and began to get dressed.

There was a white linen tunic that looked like a European's idea of what an ancient Egyptian might wear and girdle of some sort of gold fabric to encircle her waist. _If this was authentic, it would have been real gold_, Amanda thought to herself as she picked up the belt. The Germans watched appreciatively as she dressed, especially fascinated by the way her breasts moved when she lifted her arms to pull the tunic over her head.

The German commander looked at Amanda appraisingly. "It's too bad you hair is so short, and the wrong color. Otherwise you could actually pass for Egyptian in those clothes."

Amanda was immediately thankful that her hair, as Duncan had put it, looked like it had been shorn with a sheep shearer.

"Well we can always wait until it grows out," she replied.

The Immortal did not find that amusing. "In five days, it will be October 21. Do you know what that date signifies? Of course not. That is the day the rays of the sun penetrate the inner sanctuary at Abu Simbel."

"That's very nice," replied Amanda, "But what does that have to do with me?"

"October 21 is one of only two days of the year that the sun god is said to be most benevolent. In a few days we are going to test that theory. With this." The German removed an object from his pocket.

Amanda's eyes widened. It was the Golden Eye of Ra. Suddenly it all became clear to her. If the German had also acquired the staff, the most likely place to attempt to access the Eye's power would be Amarna.

The German noticed Amanda's expression. "I see you are not as stupid as I thought you were. In four days we are going to reassemble the artifact and use it successfully for the first time in 3000 years. And you, my dear, will be an important part of this." He took Amanda by the arm and led her into the largest of the tents. There, spread on the floor like a giant's game of pickup sticks, were the more than 100 walking sticks belonging to King Tut that the Germans had stolen from the British Museum.

"You're the one that had this the longest," he said, indicating the piece of amber. "I'm sure you can figure out which of these sticks is the correct one. And if not, well I'd be interested to see whether the Eye's power to kill extends to Immortals."

He turned to leave the tent. "Don't bother trying to escape," he said over his shoulder. "My men are outside. They would catch you and I couldn't be responsible for what they might do to you. After all, soldiers get lonely, especially in the desert." He gave a crude laugh and left the tent, taking care to secure the flap after himself.

"Wait," cried Amanda. "What if I have to go to the bathroom?" But she was speaking to empty air.

The Road to Amarna

"Highlander, you need to slow down. Your horse will not carry you to Amarna if it is dead."

Duncan had pulled ahead of the group of Medjai yet again, impatience dancing on his face.

"We have until October 21 to reach Amarna," the Medjai continued. "Nothing is going to happen to Amanda until the following day." Ardeth had already explained his theory to Duncan. When Duncan recalled reading about the robbery at the British Museum, he realized the Medjai was probably correct. But that did not make it any easier for Duncan to continue what he imagined was a leisurely pace through the Sahara. However, when they stopped to rest during the hottest part of of the day, Duncan admitted to himself that both men and mounts looked exhausted. Even Ardeth's big horse, which seemed to shimmer like gold from the reflection of the sand, looked tired.

When the day cooled and both man and horse were rested, the group resumed its journey. One day melted into the next: ride, sleep, ride, rest. They traveled at night when it was coolest, sleeping during the day. Before Duncan became Immortal, he had ridden off to battle with his clan, and he quickly fell into the rhythm of the march. He was still eager to get to Amarna, but he understood the need to make sure that both man and beast reach Amarna alive.

Sometimes, when everyone else was asleep, Duncan would stare out into the desert in the direction of Amarna. "Hang on, Amanda, we'll rescue you," he would whisper to the sands. He did not realize that behind him, in his own tent, the Medjai leader was praying the same thing not only to Allah but to any Egyptian god he could think of.

Amarna

Amanda had spent the past few days imprisoned in the large tent. She spent most of her time sifting through the staffs that had been left there trying to determine which one was the correct one. She initially eliminated the ones that showed clear signs of use, then the ones which had a head at one end, but she was still left with a large collection. Occasionally she was allowed to use what served as a bathroom in the desert and less occasionally she was fed.

On the fourth day, Amanda tried to escape. She was quickly recaptured by the soldiers and brought to the German commander. He ordered his men to strip her and tie her to one of the few still standing pillars. "Be careful with her clothes," he ordered. "We need them for the ceremony."

The German then approached Amanda and ran his hand over her naked back. She flinched as if she had been burned. "I won't kill you…yet. But I will hurt you." With that, he pulled a riding whip out of his belt and proceeded to strike Amanda with it.

Amanda screamed, much to the delight of the commander and his men. Again and again his whip fell on her back, buttocks, and legs.

"You may scream your heart out, my dear," the German leered. "No one is coming to rescue you. Not the Highlander, and not that Arab dog that keeps sniffing around you."

Another stoke of the whip caused Amanda to scream even louder. "Duncan!" she screamed, then mercifully passed out.

Forty miles away, Duncan heard Amanda calling to him.

"Amanda!" He ran to his horse and began to mount, but was stopped by the Medjai commander. "I heard her!" the Highlander exclaimed. "They're hurting her! I know she's a day's ride away but I heard her!"

Ardeth started to say something but thought the better of it. There were things that happened in the desert that no one could explain.

"Very well," replied the Medjai. "The horses have rested enough. We will push on and reach Amarna by tomorrow." The men quickly broke camp and got ready to leave.

"Yalla Imshi!" Ardeth shouted, and the group sped off into the desert.

Amarna

When Amanda regained consciousness, she was back in the tent. She was still naked, but her clothes were folded on the ground next to her. As she put the tunic back on, she winced when the material touched her back. Her lash marks had healed, but a residual amount of pain still remained.

_One good thing about being Immortal_, thought Amanda ruefully. _What could kill a normal person just hurts like hell._

The flap to the tent opened, and the German commander entered. "I see you have recovered," he smirked. "I must say that my men quite enjoyed that little demonstration and I would be happy to provide them with an encore." He paused. "Do you understand what I mean?"

Amanda merely nodded her head. She knew and any retort would get her in even more trouble.

The German rubbed his hands together. "You've wasted too much time. You need to decide which staff you will use in the ceremony. Don't forget, tomorrow noon!"

Amanda was not likely to forget. The German soldiers had been preparing a raised altar of some sorts. It reminded Amanda too much of a gallows for her liking. Whether it was to get the angle of the sun precisely right or the fact the Germans just liked to build big, ugly things, Amanda did not know. And she did not care.

After a restless night and a sparse breakfast, Amanda returned to the task at hand. She sighed as she examined the walking sticks for the umpteenth time. She still had no idea what she was looking for. But sometime later, Amanda had an idea. If Immortals could feel each other's presence when they were near each other, maybe magical objects behaved the same way. She poked her head out of the tent. The soldier guarding it turned to look at her, an anticipatory grin on his face. Perhaps she was going to try to escape again, he thought. If she did, and if he captured her himself, maybe the commander would let him…

The soldier's reverie was broken by Amanda's voice. "Excuse me," she said, trying to be a demure as possible, which was no mean feat for her. "Could you by any chance, please, ask your boss if I could have that piece of amber he carries around with him? It would really help me figure out what I am supposed to be doing and I would really appreciate that." She stopped short of batting her eyelashes but only just barely.

The guard called over to one of the other soldiers and relayed Amanda's request. Presently the man returned, and handed the artifact to the first soldier, who in turn gave it to Amanda. As he placed it in her hand he took his own hand and ran it up her arm. Amanda shuddered in distaste but managed to plant a smile on her face. "Ooh," she said flirtatiously, "you've got such strong hands!" With that, she turned and went back into the tent before the soldier could respond, carefully tying the flap shut behind her.

Sitting cross legged on the floor of the tent, she took the piece of amber in her left hand and began to pick up the staffs one by one in her right. As she picked up each staff in turn she closed her eyes and tried to determine if she felt anything, not that she knew exactly what she was expecting to feel. After she had gone through this process a dozen times, Amanda began to feel frustrated. What had initially seemed like a good idea was turning into a waste of time. She idly picked up one more stick and suddenly felt as if electricity was flowing through her, going from one hand to the other. Not only that, both the staff and the piece of amber seemed to be vibrating. She very carefully put the two objects down and the tingling stopped. She picked them up again and was rewarded with the same sensation. Amanda took a deep breath. Putting the staff carefully down to the side, she picked up a different one. Nothing happened.

Just as Amanda was congratulating herself on solving the puzzle, The flap to her tent was pushed open. The fact that she had tied it shut did not deter the German commander, who simply sliced the ties open with his knife. "It's time," he snarled, grabbing Amanda's arm and hauling her to her feet. I hope you have decided which staff to use, for your sake. In any event, the results should be…..interesting." Amanda barely managed to grab the "magic" staff as she was dragged out of the tent and up onto the altar.

The German soldiers had been busy. Amanda could not imagine where they had acquired lumber in the desert, but they had, and had managed to build a scaffold. It stood in the middle of what appeared to be the ruins of an ancient temple. The commander's second in command stood at the top, an expectant expression on his face. If everything worked as his commander had promised, he would share in the glory. And if not he planned to shoot the man and take command himself.

As the German Immortal urged Amanda up the wooden stairs, he noticed that linen tunic which she was wearing was a bit ragged and the belt was long gone. He shrugged his shoulders. It would just have to do, as there was no time to get a replacement. Once up on the altar, the German looked down at his men below as if trying to make a decision. He pointed to one of them "You! Get up here! Mach schnell!"

Amanda saw the commander unsnap his holster and knew what the German had in mind. She actually did not mind killing people if necessary, and Nazis were high on her list of people she did not mind killing, but the current situation was too strange even for a 1000 year old Immortal.

Down below, the doomed soldier had also figured out what was going on and had tried to bolt. He was quickly restrained by two of his comrades who were extremely glad they had not been selected and had already been dragged halfway up the steps when a sound arose from the desert.

It is said that a hellhound only howls when it smells death. As far as the German soldiers were concerned, that sound would have been like music compared to the yells and ululations of the group of Medjai as they entered the ruined city. The German soldiers fled, piling into two of the army vehicles, leaving their commander and his second in command standing on the platform with Amanda.

The Medjai came to a halt and Duncan jumped of his horse, unsheathing his katana at the same time. Upon an order from Ardeth, the rest of the Medjai wheeled their horses around and took off after the fleeing soldiers. They would track down the Nazi soldiers and deal with them as only Medjai could.

"I am Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod," he said in a challenging voice.

The German Immortal drew his own sword, without releasing his hold on Amanda. "You may call me Schmidt. Johann Schmidt. We were just going to perform a little ceremony and your whore was nice enough to offer to help."

"Do you refuse my challenge? Let her go and come down and fight me!"

"Sorry, we're on holy ground," the German smirked, indicating the ruins surrounding them. Besides, I need to complete what I've worked so hard to accomplish for the glory of the Reich." The German shoved Amanda away into the arms of his second in command, and with one fluid motion drew his pistol and fired.

The Medjai chieftain fell of his horse onto the ground, a dark red stain spreading out onto his darker robes.

"Ardeth!" Amanda shrieked, pulling herself free from the soldier.

The German commander grabbed Amanda's arm again before she could descend to the sand. "Now's your chance to prove me right," he growled, pushing the piece of amber and the staff into Amanda's hands. "Your boyfriend will make a good test subject. But you'd better hurry, I don't know how long this will work after someone is dead."

Amanda stumbled down the stairs and ran over to Ardeth's body. The German was an excellent shot and had hit Ardeth square in the chest. Amanda knew enough about anatomy that she could imagine the shattered bones, damaged lungs, and punctured heart that lay beneath the black robes. Without stopping to think, she brought the staff together with the piece of amber, fitting in into the recess at the bottom of the artifact. There was a soft click, and Amanda felt the now familiar tingling sensation running through her body. She held the staff up in the air, catching the rays of the sun and refracting them down in the broken body that lay on the sand.

Nothing happened.

Amanda stood motionless, the staff still pointed at the sun, waiting.

Still nothing.

Suddenly, Amanda knelt down to Ardeth's body and started to rip open his robe.

"Amanda, it's no use," Duncan came up behind her and put his hand gently on her shoulder. "He's gone. The thing doesn't work.

Amanda shook off the Highlander's hand. "There's still a chance!"

In a moment, Amanda had bared the Medjai's torso. His fatal injury looked even more fatal without his robes to cover it. Amanda quickly loosened the drawstring at Ardeth's waist and pushed his pants down, revealing the tattoo that had so intrigued Amanda the night they….

_Don't think about that!_ Amanda commanded herself. _You need to concentrate to get this to work!_

Amanda grabbed the staff and stood up again, raising it to the sky.

"Hear me, oh Aten!" she exclaimed. She paused, trying to think of how to articulate what she wanted to say. "Here lies your servant, Ardeth Bay, son of…" she looked at Duncan for help but he just shrugged his shoulders.

"Son of, um, Egypt," she continued. "Chieftain of the Twelve Tribes of the Medjai. He has consecrated himself to you. He has consecrated his body to you and wears your mark. I beseech you, look upon him and bestow, bestow…."

By now Duncan had figured out what Amanda was trying to do. "Bestow your munificent gift upon him," he whispered to Amanda.

"Bestow your munificent gift upon him!" Amanda repeated loudly.

Suddenly a shaft of light came down from the sun. It entered the piece of amber and went straight out again, hitting the Medjai's body right where the bullet had previously found its mark.

Ardeth's body jerked from the impact. Then his eyes opened. Amanda dropped the staff and knelt over the recovering man.

"Welcome back," she whispered, tears in her eyes.

"I was in Jannah," he whispered back. Then he looked up at Amanda with a smile, "The houris were jealous of your beauty and sent me back."

Duncan bent over the Medjai and examined his now uninjured chest. "You would indeed make a good Immortal," he remarked.

Amanda nudged Duncan in the ribs. "Munificent? What was all that about?"

"Well it worked, didn't it? Anyway, it sounded kind of godly to me."

The happy reunion was cut short by the voice of the German Immortal.

"Sorry to break up your little party," he said in a voice that told them he was definitely not sorry. "Bring the staff up to me." He gestured with his gun. "Or I will shoot him again."

Amanda picked up the staff and started for the altar.

"Amanda, no!" Duncan tried to stop her but she shook off his hand.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing…..I think." She continued across the sand and climbed back up the stairs. Without a word, she handed the staff to the Nazi commander, turned, and went back down to the sand.

The commander hefted the staff in his hand. He imagined he could feel its power flowing through his body. He looked around for a likely subject, and realized all his soldiers had deserted except his second in command.

At the same moment, the remaining soldier realized what was going to happen. "Bitte, Kommandant…" he began. The Immortal laughed, drew his gun, and fired. The soldier fell to the ground, dead.

The German raised the staff to the sky as he had seen Amanda do as he tried to recall exactly what Amanda had said.

"Oh mighty Aten," he began. Before he could continue a spear of light shot out of the sun and hit the staff. The staff exploded in his hand, the amber melting into liquid and the wooden cane shattering into splinters. The molten amber dripped down to the sand below, where it was immediately swallowed by the desert. Only the diamond was left, glittering in the sun.

The German looked around wildly. "You still can't touch me!" he taunted. "I'm on holy ground."

"That prohibition does not apply to me," said a quiet voice at his back. He had not noticed the Medjai, fully recovered, climbing up to the top of the scaffold.

The Immortal drew his saber. "You will die like the Arab dog you are!" he shouted, lunging towards Ardeth.

Ardeth Bay had been given a scimitar when he was three years old and had trained with it every day since then. He did not have the hundreds of years of practice an Immortal might have, but after his experience earlier he was no longer afraid of death. He viewed his opponent calmly "So it begins," he said softly, his scimitar singing as he removed it from its sheath. Ardeth was almost serene in his movements, holding his weapon loosely in his hand.

The Immortal could not believe he was being challenged by a mere mortal. They fought on the wooden platform for what seemed like hours but was only minutes. Finally, Ardeth surprised the German by shifting the scimitar to his left hand. He disarmed the other man almost immediately. Pushing the Immortal down to his knees, Ardeth grabbed him by his hair.

"Am I not supposed to say something now?" he asked. "Methos always used to say something."

Duncan and Amanda started as one. "In the end…."

"Ah yes." Ardeth recalled as he smiled a wolfish smile, his brilliant white teeth shining in the sun. "In the end, there can be only one." With a sweep of his scimitar, he removed the German's head from his shoulders.

An electrical storm appeared in the sky. Amanda and Duncan knew this was the Quickening that accompanies the killing of an Immortal and indicates the transference of power to the victor. But since this Immortal had not been killed by another Immortal, the storm quickly dissipated. The desert was calm again.

"I didn't want his Quickening." Amanda remarked to Duncan. "Nazis taste bad." The two horses, who had been standing more or less quietly, had started to whinny when the storm hit. When Amanda walked over to them she noticed a long wrapped bundle tied to Duncan's mount.

"You brought my sword!" she exclaimed in delight, removing the package from the horse.

"I never doubted that we would save you," replied Duncan.

Glad to have her weapon again, Amanda wandered off, waving it happily.

By this time Ardeth had climbed down from the altar. Duncan turned to him. "I understand why Aten resurrected you, but I don't understand how Amanda was able to use the staff. It exploded when the German tried to use it."

"I have an idea why that happened, but if I tell you, you must promise not to get angry," replied the Medjai. Receiving no response from Duncan, he continued. "When Amanda and I, when Amanda and I were intimate," he began, eliciting a dark frown from the Highlander. Ardeth ignored it and forged ahead. "I spilled my seed in her. Twice." Duncan's hand reflexively went to his katana and Ardeth backed away a few paces. "As I am, as she said, consecrated to Aten, the fact that my seed was inside her would give her the same protection. The Nazi was not similarly protected," he finished in a rush, all the while keeping his hand on the hilt of his own weapon.

Duncan, realizing he was about to draw his sword, abashedly removed his hand from it and sighed. It seemed he did a lot of sighing where Amanda was concerned.

The sound of an engine caused both men to turn, and they saw the last transport vehicle leaving the ruins. Turning to each other, they both said "Amanda!" at the same time. Duncan broke away and climbed up to the altar, where he had last seen the diamond.

"The diamond is gone!" he called down to the Medjai. "She must have taken it."

He climbed down and looked underneath the altar in case it had fallen through the slats. "No it's definitely not here either."

"Should we not go after her?" Ardeth asked.

"It depends. What is in that direction?" Duncan pointed in the direction Amanda had taken.

"Asyut is only about 60 kilometers from here," replied the Medjai. "From there she could take a train back to Cairo, and after that….."

"Let her go," said Duncan dismissively. "I'm sure I'll catch up to her eventually."

"She said she would return to visit me in 30 years," Ardeth said almost wistfully.

Duncan grinned, finally at ease. "D'you think you'll be recovered by then?" They both laughed.

As the men turned to get their horses, Ardeth turned to the Highlander. "My friend, the Germans will not leave Egypt alone. There are too many treasures here, both magical and otherwise, and their madman of a leader is intent on collecting them all. The Medjai would be honored to have you stay with us for a while. We can always use another brave warrior."

Duncan was taken aback by his former rival addressing him as friend. He thought for a moment, realizing that, at the end, he had had an enjoyable time in Egypt, or what passed for enjoyable to an Immortal. He clapped the black robed man on the shoulder.

"Bay, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," he said, as they mounted their horses and took off into the desert.


End file.
